Snow is one of the most contradictory cues we have for understanding climate change.As in many recent winters, the lack of snowfall in December seemed to preview our global warming future, with peaks from Oregon to New Hampshire more brown than white and the American Southwest facing a severe snow drought.On the other hand, January has brought some heavy snow to New England, and record blizzards in early 2023 buried California mountain communities, replenished parched reservoirs, and dropped 11 feet of snow on northern Arizona, defying our conceptions of life on a warming planet.Now, a new Dartmouth study authored in part by PHD student Alex Gottlieb cuts through the uncertainty in these observations and provides evidence that seasonal snowpacks throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere have indeed shrunk significantly over the past 40 years due to human-driven climate change.Alex and I talk about what those changes mean to all of us.

Mary Schäffer Warren (1861 - 1939) was 43 years old and recently widowed when she bucked Victorian-era conventions and reinvented herself as a mountain explorer, writer, and photographer. Over a century later, outdoor writer and historian Meghan J. Ward is entering her forties with new questions about her identity and her relationship with adventure and the natural world.The result is a documentary called "Wildflowers".Meghan and I discuss the upcoming film and the challenges, including fundraising, involved in producing it. We also talk about the recreation of a part Mary Schäffer Warren's trip to Maligne Lake.The production group is looking for sponsors and has launched a fund-raising campaign on indiegogo.

Coexisting with grizzly bears into the future will be an increasing challenge and require a deep understanding of these large carnivores and what factors make their populations tick. Based on perhaps the longest uninterrupted wildlife research project done by one individual, this is the intertwined story of the science underlying our understanding of grizzly bears and family life in the wilderness while following bears.The story of grizzly bear behaviour and ecology is based on dozens of research papers published in this study, which in turn are based on the actual lives of over 200 radio-collared bears. These chapters are not written “for dummies” but contain considerable substance for people interested in the science behind animal ecology and conservation. The scientific chapters cover topics ranging from the bears’ diet and how it influences changes in body fat and muscle, to how bears are counted and factors that influence births and deaths and regulate population size.Mixed among the science chapters is the story of how a couple in their mid-20s began the Flathead grizzly project, built a log cabin on the bank of the Flathead River, had babies, and raised them in the wilderness among bears, wolves, and mountain lions. They endured floods that washed away part of their camp, forest fires that burned thousands of square miles, and some very weird people. Both children grew up with grizzly bears and eventually earned their own M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in the ecology of these amazing animals.

Welcome Back Adam Shoalts! Looking out his porch window one spring morning, Adam Shoalts spotted a majestic peregrine falcon flying across the neighbouring fields near Lake Erie. Falcons migrate annually from southernmost Canada to remote arctic mountains. Grabbing his backpack and canoe, Shoalts resolved to follow the falcon’s route north on an astonishing 3,400-kilometre journey to the Arctic. We talked about that incredible trip and his new book.

A rebroadcast of the very first episode as Northern Latitudes prepares to host the 2023 Paddling Film Festival.

Jane Marshall has traveled the world and discovered on three continents found hidden valleys known locally as "Happy Valley". Her quest: to discover what makes them happy and learn from their indigenous keepers. The result is a book that is part memoir, part travelogue, and part epic adventure that chronicles Jane's journey to find the wisdom that can save the planet and our own hearts.

Dave Markel is an avid back-country skier, adventure, wildlife, and night sky photographer based in Kamloops, BC. Dave and I chatted just after he and a group of friends had completed the Bow to Yoho ski traverse in early April.

Jenny Hagan is an award-winning photographer and storm chaser based in Eatonia, Saskatchewan. We talked about the hows and whys of chasing storms and how it has been a a part of life since childhood.

Sarah Cox is an award-winning journalist and author based in Victoria, BC covering energy and environmental politics for the Narwhal. She joined me to talk about the plight of the Spotted Owl and BC's old-growth forests.

Welcome to this podcast episode where we will be interviewing Chris Turner, author of the book "How to Be A Climate Optimist". In his book, Chris explores how we can approach the climate crisis with a positive outlook and offers practical solutions for creating a sustainable future.